SEATTLE -- If you marked "organ donation" on your driver's license, you may have given consent for something you can't imagine.

Over the past year, KIRO Team 7 Investigators have repeatedly exposed how the King County Medical Examiners Office traded hundreds of human brains to a research lab, collecting $1.5 million along the way. Dozens of families say King County failed to get proper consent. Four sued.

I, along with 2.6 million other drivers in Washington, have a heart stamped in the corner of my license. it signifies organ donation.

A King County judge has just ruled that "heart-mark" allows your organs not just to be transplanted into a living person, but also your corpse donated to science. your family can't do anything to stop it. (see source for full story)

I don't post much--apologies for errors. This is not surprising that the Mandarins running King County (Seattle) decide YOUR body-parts are THEIRS to sell. Given the way they run the place, it was a small logical leap for them.

Personally, I don’t mind my body being used for science. It was always my understanding that most of my organs would likely be unusable in an transplants upon death (One would literally have to be on the surgery table on the time of death to properly preserve the organs due to toxins overloading th system).

If, however, my brain or kidneys can give a med student a better understanding of the human body for better practice in the future, that is a net gain.

It sounds like the hospital in question is a pretty scummy place, and I am yet to read the entire article, but if simply in the name of science (not to make a few bucks, but for knowledge) I say “cut me up!”

There’s (obviously) a load of money in “organs”. I have always wondered if some people might profit from you “didn’t make it” in the emergency room. I never mark ‘yes’ for organ donation on my drivers license renewal.

On the other hand, there are plenty of people hanging around FR who think it’s just dandy if the government controls what you do with your own body. Want to make your own decision when it’s time to die? Nope, many FReepers want the government to step in and make it illegal for anyone to help you, even at your explicit request. Want to “donate” eggs for a nice wad of cash? Nope, many FReepers say the government should stop you because it’s “exploiting women” — you’re just a flighty little woman, you know, and can’t possibly understand how you’re being “exploited”, so big Daddy government needs to take charge of your decisions.

My body parts are mine, and not just after I’m dead. They’re mine to donate, sell, destroy, protect, or whatever I want.

I have been asked several times to make such a commitment, and I always turn them down.

Like you, I’ve seen and know too much.

My kids understand my wishes, if I can really help someone with something they will do it. But not until they grant permission, and not out of my breathing body. After seeing what they did to Terri Schiavo I don’t trust the state to make decisions for me.

14
posted on 05/25/2007 12:51:02 AM PDT
by I still care
("Remember... for it is the doom of men that they forget" - Merlin, from Excalibur)

————————————————————It sounds like the hospital in question is a pretty scummy place, and I am yet to read the entire article, but if simply in the name of science (not to make a few bucks, but for knowledge) I say cut me up!

I would never, even sign that organ donation blank, and I have strongly advised my family members to not do it either. The reason: Several years ago in my home area, there were strong rumors from several local and regional hospitals that critically injured accident victims were NOT receiving the immediate intensive care that one would expect, with allegations made by hospital staff that victims were being allowed to die so that their organs could be harvested (if they had signed the card). This came from my aunt, who’s an RN (now retired) and gave us the initial heads up.

The nasty part of this whole thing is that the surviving family gets ZERO dollars, while the doctors make loads of cash off this scam.

It’s the one reason I’m not an organ donor. I’ll be happy to donate parts if I don’t need them any more, but compensate my family for it, and not just the medical system. After all, who’s making the real sacrifice here?

19
posted on 05/25/2007 3:26:10 AM PDT
by ovrtaxt
(I would rather vote for Lindsay Lohan than Lindsey Graham.)

I have always wondered if some people might profit from you didnt make it in the emergency room.

That's right- people are people, even doctors. Human nature being what it is, I don't even want to put the thought of potential profit in a doctor's head- or even the thought of 'well, he's an organ donor, his death won't be so bad, we can redeem it a little bit...'

Thoughts like that could make or break the difference in a touchy situation.

20
posted on 05/25/2007 3:29:52 AM PDT
by ovrtaxt
(I would rather vote for Lindsay Lohan than Lindsey Graham.)

I want the decision made by my family --- yes, even in their time of grief.

I actually agree that in the absence of a clear directive these critical decisions should be made by the family. Of course, many of the 'Terri-bots' disagree. They think most families can't be trusted to not just kill grandma if someone isn't watching.

We are all the beneficiaries of scientific study. I don't get the outrage over the taking of tissues... I can understand the money aspect, but on the other hand, public agencies finding revenue that didn't come from taxpayers isn't a wholly bad thing either.

“Donated to Science” is not the same as “Sold for $1.5M profit to King County”. Hell—you live here...you should know the County Exec would carve people’s brains out himself if he could fund a light rail system with them.

I think people who are outraged are upset on two fronts... Some seem to be upset and surprised to find out that all ‘organ donation’ is not for direct implant... they would give a heart to a person, but not a brain, bone, tissue, or whatever, for research. That’s the part I don’t understand why they have a problem.

As to why and how much money changes hands and for whom, Well, I guess that needs to be up for debate. But most of the talk I heard on the radio seemed to be shocked at the mere thought that tissues would be taken for anything other than live organ transplant, like it was a horrid misuse. I don’t think it is.

When my mom was dying from cancer, she was REALLY disappointed that her body was of no value to research. She thought they’d want to study her organs and learn something toward a cure, but I guess they didn’t need or want them, and as a cancer patient, they didn’t even want to take things like corneas or skin. She said “Can’t I even make a good skeleton for a classroom?” “No, most classroom skeletons these days are plastic”. This issue of fair and unfair use does not bother everyone, bless her heart.

I am a donor also. However when I think of the term “donor” my impression is they can take what they want but I have no intention of anyone making any money off my “donation”.

I’ll be checking the regs and rules on this in my state before my license comes up for renewal. If there is any chance anyone is going to make money from my organs or tissue, it is going to be my family and no one else.

The real issue here is “informed consent”. We need to have a system in Washington State to make our wishes known. You should be able to donate your body to science if that fits with your beliefs. Someone else should be able to choose either to donate for transplant, research or not at all. But above all, the least we can do for our dying loved ones, is to follow the wishes they have requested and let them rest in peace.

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